Battered and Broken
by terri-lynnashley87
Summary: A few of the students in Harry's year have returned to Hogwarts after the Final Battle, including Harry, Ron, Hermione, Luna and... Draco? Hermione's been having nightmares, and Draco's conscience is eating away at him, and the only comfort they can find is in each other. Dramione. Post-war. Rated M for later chapters.
1. Chapter 1: Back at Hogwarts

AN: So, this is another story I've had in the back of my mind for quite a while. And finally, I've found the inspiration to write it (: I hope you all enjoy, and criticism would be greatly appreciated (:  
-xo!

* * *

When Hermione stepped off of the carriage, the sight of the rebuilt castle took her breath away. The carriages were, of course, being towed by thestrals, which nearly every student, as well as the staff, of Hogwarts was able to now see. She'd missed Hogwarts. Everything about this place brought back all of her memories. Racing through the Transfiguration courtyard with Ron and Harry, spending countless hours in the library, or visiting Hagrid at his little hut. This place was her home, and the ache she now felt in her heart told her that.

Subconsciously, she knew that Harry and Ron, who were standing next to her, felt the same way. Hogwarts had always been there home, especially for her and Harry. Ever since she'd use the Obliviate spell on her parents… She felt her heart clench. She had nowhere else she belonged – Not even at the Weasleys'.

"It's really great to be back," she heard Ron whisper from beside her. It was only now that Hermione realized she had tears streaming down her face – Both happy and sad tears. Memories flooded back to her from the last few nights they'd spent in the castle before they spent the summer at the Burrow. She remembered the ghost-like expression on the Tonks' and Remus' faces, the way Fred looked as though he were still laughing, and how Molly Weasley took out Bellatrix Lestrange.

The lump that formed in her throat was unbearable as she felt Ron reach out and take her hand. Things hadn't been the best between them over the summer. The memories from the Battle at Hogwarts – As the Daily Prophet had called it – haunted her, and she didn't know how to deal with Ron, along with those. She had hoped that being back at Hogwarts would give her some sort of closure that all was well, but it just made the pain even more unbearable.

She shrugged Ron off as the rest of the returning students crowded around them. Among them were Neville, Luna, Dean, Seamus, Cho, Padma and Pavarti, as well as many more. Hermione did notice one face she hadn't expected to see, standing off to the side. Malfoy. For once in his life, he was alone. It suited him, really. Crabbe had died during the Battle, and Goyle was nowhere to be seen. Perhaps he thought he was too good for Hogwarts – Hermione nearly snorted at the idea.

"We should be getting inside," Harry said before Hermione could notice all of the other students crowding through the doorway. They were the last ones inside, Hermione noticed, as even Malfoy entered ahead of them.

Professor McGonagall me them in the foyer, standing on the staircase, the same way she had done before their Sorting Ceremony during their first year. She looked as though she'd aged over the summer. On top of the stress from the Battle, she'd also had to deal with reconstructing the school. Hermione imagined it hadn't been easy for her.

"I'm very glad to see you all back," McGonagall spoke, her voice sounding very tired. "As unfortunate as another year at Hogwarts may seem, it is very important that all of you returned to complete your N.E.W.T.s." Her eyes scanned the crowd, assessing the amount of students there actually were. "Since there aren't that many of you, it won't be a problem for you to return to your old Common Rooms, as well as your old dormitories," Professor McGonagall explained. "We have a few new staff members this year. A Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, in particular. But you will meet him during the beginning of year feast. Also, I've added something new to your timetables. It's called Counselling, in hopes to aid you in recovering from the trauma you may have suffered from over the summer. For now, I ask you all to head to your dormitories to prepare for the feast and Sorting Ceremony later this evening." With the tiniest of smiles, and a nod of her head, Professor McGonagall turned on her heel and headed back down the hallway.

Hermione sighed softly. She had no idea what this year at Hogwarts was going to bring, but she hoped it wouldn't be like the last seven years.

Begrudgingly, she headed up to the Gryffindor common room with Harry and Ron, and the other Gryffindor students. They were the only ones that were here yet. Perhaps the others hadn't arrived yet, or they were going to head straight into the Great Hall for the ceremony and feast. Hermione wasn't sure, and if she were being honest, she didn't care.

Over the past few months, her mind was a blur. Images scattered throughout her brains, one running into the next. The look on Lavender's face after she'd been attacked by Fenrir Greyback, the Weasleys' horrible reaction when Fred had been murdered, and Malfoy's expression when he realized just what exactly he'd been involved in. Nothing was clear cut and precise with her anymore. Nightmares haunted her dreams every night, and she'd barely slept in weeks, except for the rare occasion that she'd take a sleeping potion.

When they'd entered the common room, Hermione noticed that the fireplace had already been lit. She assumed Professor McGonagall had been up here hours before, preparing it for the students.

Hermione collapsed into one of the chairs near the fireplace and sighed heavily. Harry and Ron flanked her, down the same. "What do you think this year's going to be like?" Harry asked quietly, wanting to start a conversation. While Hermione was grateful for the distraction, she simply shrugged in response.

"I don't know, mate," Ron asked, as equally quiet. "It's not going to be easy, that's for sure."

For the first time since they'd entered the room, Hermione actually looked around. Everything was restored, and it looked like a thing hadn't been touch or moved out of its place, let alone half the school being destroyed.

Finally, Hermione had swallowed the lump that had formed in her throat, and she looked over at her two best friends. "I just don't see how things can go back to normal," she murmured, pulling her knees up to her chest, wrapping her arms around her legs. Her chin rested on her knees as she stared back down at the fire.

"We should probably go get ready," Harry said, still just as soft. "You know McGonagall won't want us to be late."

"You go ahead," Hermione whispered. "I don't think I'm going."

It was obvious that something was wrong, but Harry and Ron knew not to pry. They'd talk to her later, after she'd had some time alone. They were her best friends, and they knew that was all she wanted right now. She needed some time to adjust to being back here – They all did.

When everyone had gone down to the Great Hall, Hermione's emotions finally spilled loose. The tears came pouring down over her cheeks, and sobs racked her tiny frame. Finally, after wearing herself out, Hermione's tears began to slow, and she started to regain her breath. Frustrated, she wiped the tears from her cheeks with the back of her hand and stood from her seat by the fire.

Grabbing her wand, she dressed into her uniform, as well as her robes and left the common room. Perhaps, if she were quick enough, she'd make it to the Great Hall in time for the feast. But, in all honesty, she wasn't hungry.

Instead, she left the castle, and headed down to the Transfiguration courtyard, where she saw a very familiar pale-haired boy sitting with his head in his hands.

Before she had a chance to walk away unnoticed, Malfoy looked up at her, and rolled his eyes.

"If you're going to tell me what a horrible person I am, save it. I already know," he muttered, putting his head back in his hands.

This caused Hermione's stubbornness to flare, and she walked over to him, stopping a few feet away. "Actually, I wasn't going to say anything," she said, feeling the need to make that much clear. "But… It must've been hard for you, coming back here and knowing what you'd face." She shrugged, ignoring his scoff.

"You've no idea," she heard Malfoy mutter without lifting his head.

Drawing in a deep breath, she tried to control her frustration with him. "You know, /Draco/," she said, one eyebrow raised. "You didn't /have/ to come back. I'm sure we would have been just fine without you."

With that, Hermione turned on her heel and stalked away from him, her arms crossed over her chest. It felt good to take her anger out somewhere, even if there was still plenty of it left inside her.

She headed back into the castle just in time to see Ron and Harry coming out of the Great Hall. "Oh, did I miss it all?" Hermione asked, feeling slightly better. She was disappointed that she'd missed the entire celebration.

"Yeah, but it's okay," Ron said. "F- Fred and George showed me a secret passageway to the kitchen, so we can get you something to eat later." It was clear that Ron still had a hard time talking about Fred, his older brother. Losing a family member was hard – Hermione knew exactly how he felt.

"What do you think that new class is going to be like?" Harry asked Ron and Hermione as they headed up to their common room.

"It should help," Hermione said, glancing up at him. "Really, that's what most of us needs. Someone we can talk to…" She had been expecting Ron to pipe up. He'd been on her all summer; try to get her to open up to him about what was going on. But, what Hermione really needed was someone who was oblivious to what had happened during the Battle.

Hermione's thoughts kept going back to what Draco had said to her before. 'I already know'. The lump had formed in her throat again – It seemed almost permanent over the summer. Perhaps he understood that a lot of people hated him for the things he and his family had done. Perhaps he always did. Hermione would never know. If she were being honest, she didn't care if she ever seen him again.


	2. Chapter 2: Counselling

AN: So I hope this chapter isn't as boring as it seems, but I basically needed a space filler until the story can pick up it's pace a bit. Again, I hope you're enjoying it so far!  
-xo!

* * *

The first class they had the next morning was Counselling. Perhaps McGonagall thought it would be best for them to get some of this out of their system before they began some of the heavier courses. Hermione wasn't sure why. She knew this was only going to make things worse for the course of their day.

Naturally, Harry, Ron and Hermione all piled into the large, rather open classroom, sitting next to each other, with the others that had returned, as well as anyone else that was involved in the Battle. They waited for their teacher to arrive, and Hermione looked over at Harry and Ron.

"You don't suppose the teacher's going to be like Trelawney, do you?" Hermione asked. Both boys knew of Hermione's distaste for that particular Divination professor. It was no wonder she didn't want another one like her.

"I doubt it," Ron said. "Trelawney's got too much air in her head for a class like this."

With that, the door swung open and in walked a small woman, older, but not quite as old as McGonagall. She was wearing deep purple robes, and her dark hair fell in soft waves around her shoulders. She had one streak of silver near her face, mixing with the black.

"Good morning, everyone," she said, her voice very soft, almost calming, Hermione noticed. "I'm Professor Lestrange." She paused, clearly waiting for everyone to recognize the name. "Yes, I'm the sister-in-law of the well-known Bellatrix Lestrange, sister of Rodolphus Lestrange. I wouldn't be surprised if you haven't heard of me before. You see, I didn't agree with both of my brothers' way of life. I went into hiding during the First Wizarding War. Rodolphus and Rabastan never spoke of me. I was disowned. That is where you and I are all alike. I've had to deal with Voldemort, just as you have." Her voice was soft, but strong, and she said Voldemort's name with no fear.

"We're going to start off with something simple today," she began, after her silencing introduction. "First, I'm going to pair you all up. Then, we're going to discuss your roles in the Second Wizarding War. Just discuss them. And you are not to judge the other person," she said, looking directly at Draco as she did. It was obvious that she knew whoever was paired with him would judge.

"Mr. Potter, you're going to pair with Miss Patil," she said, her hand gesturing to Padma. "Mr. Weasley with Miss Chang. Miss Lovegood with Mr. Finnigan. Mr. Longbottom with…" And she continued on this way until there were only a handful of students left. "And finally, Miss Granger with Mr. Malfoy," she said, a small smile on her face. Hermione groaned internally as she looked up and over at Malfoy. He wasn't looking at her – In fact, he looked like he was doing whatever he could to avoid her gaze. Understanding the fact that he wasn't going to make the effort to move, Hermione rose from her place and trudged over to him, sitting at the desk next to him.

Several moments passed before either of them spoke, and to her surprise, Malfoy opened his mouth first. Still without looking at her, he said, "My parents made me do it." This took Hermione even more by surprise. Her jaw dropped slightly, not sure if she'd actually heard him admit that. "My father, mostly," he continued. "My mum didn't want much to do with it. And she hated my dad for forcing me into it." Hermione could hear his voice crack. She realized that this was the first time she had ever heard Draco talk about something personal. Her head tilted to the side curiously. "I was supposed to kill Dumbledore," he said in a whisper that Hermione could barely hear. He was ashamed – Hermione could see that written all over his face.

"I plotted to take you all down," Hermione said in an equally soft whisper. She couldn't see to find her voice as her eyes stayed trained on Malfoy. "For months, Harry, Ron and I traveled about Britain, trying to find ways to destroy… Voldemort." Hermione could see the way he flinched when she said his name. Malfoy was the last person she would have thought she'd be opening up to. She sighed softly, her brown eyes staring into his grey ones, though they were looking away.

That was all that was said for the rest of the hour. Neither of them spoke – Enough had been said in those few moments, and neither of them felt the need to say anymore. They each knew exactly what their roles were. Malfoy was a Death Eater, and beneath his robes, on his forearm was the Dark Mark – /His/ mark. Something Malfoy would have to live with for the rest of his life.

Before Hermione knew it, they were being dismissed and being told that tomorrow's class would follow the same fashion, with the same partners.

As they all headed to their next class together – Defense Against the Dark Arts – Hermione realized that all of the 'eighth' year students must be taking classes together.

Again, they all piled into the classroom, the trio sitting together again. Another new teacher entered the room, and Hermione was pleased to see it was another female. "Good morning, good morning," their new professor said pleasantly. "I'm Professor Wayland," she said with a small smile. She had pale blond hair, cut short to her head. Her robes were black, with no embellishment at all. "Welcome to Defense Against the Dark Arts. But, as I expect, many of you may not need it," she said with a wink toward the class. "This year, we will be delving into the deepest and darkest of the Arts that you will learn at Hogwarts…"

The rest of the class went on the same way – Professor Wayland explaining the basics of what they'd learn this year. Hermione was pleased to finally have a female professor – One that wasn't Umbridge, at least.

The rest of the day passed quickly with Charms, Herbology (which Neville still excelled at) and Transfiguration ending the day. Before she had a chance to escape the class, though, Professor McGonagall pulled Hermione aside, leaving the two of them alone in the classroom.

"Miss Granger…" Professor McGonagall said her name quietly, being careful that she didn't step on any toes. "I know you've been through quite a bit over the past year," she murmured, her aged eyes looking into Hermione's. "I'm here, for you to talk to, should Counselling not prove to be enough." With that, before Hermione had a chance to respond, McGonagall had left the room. That was as personal as Hermione had ever seen Professor McGonagall get and she could see that it was hard for her.

Swallowing the lump in her throat, she headed out of the classroom, but she froze in her steps when she saw a familiar figure lurking outside. "Malfoy?" she asked, her eyebrows pulling together in confusion.

"Granger… About this morning… You have to swear you won't tell anyone. /Please/. If any of this gets back to my parents… Well, I'm… Trusting you to keep this between us," he said, clearly struggling to get the words out.

"And what makes you think I /have/ to do anything you tell me?" she asked, one eyebrow arched. This spurt from Malfoy was amusing her, if she were being honest.

"/Please/, Granger," he said, his grey eyes smoldering.

Her eyes rolled as she waved a hand dismissively. "Fine, whatever," she said, trying to act nonchalant.

With a curt nod of his head, Malfoy turned and headed down the staircase. Was it just her, or did a lot of people seem to be doing that lately? She shook her head, trying to clear out her thoughts from the last two encounters as she headed up to the Gryffindor common room to find Harry and Ron.


	3. Chapter 3: Apologies

AN: I'm going to post another AN at the end, just because I don't want any spoilers (:

* * *

The next day followed the same routine. However, waking up in her dormitory gave Hermione a comfort she hadn't felt in months. Hogwarts was her home, of that, Hermione was sure.

Forcing herself out of the bed, Hermione got dressed and headed down to the common room, where she found Harry and Ron sitting by the fire. They were discussing yesterday's classes. Hermione groaned. She didn't want to think about the discussion her and Malfoy had yesterday, or even her and McGonagall.

However, she made her way over to them and sat, staring at the fire that was still lit. When she felt Ron's arm wrap around her, she cringed slightly, hoping he wouldn't notice. She'd had a slight aversion to Ron lately. Everything that had happened to them in the past year continually replayed in her head. She loved him – She knew she did – but there was just something that changed inside her since the Battle. She couldn't quite explain it. Too much had happened, and she had to deal with that first, before she dealt with Ron. However, for now, she endured it, not wanting to upset him.

Just before eight o'clock, the three of them headed to the third floor, wary of the staircases. Charms class came as a relief to Hermione. She always enjoyed the subject, and excelled at it, as she did with most other classes. There were only a couple of classes that Hermione wasn't taking this year, the main one being Divination.

Entering the Charms classroom, the three noticed that all of the 'eighth' year students were in attendance. The class flew by quickly, with Professor Flitwick seeming more nervous than anything. Hermione imagined that the past couple of months had the same effect on him as they did on her.

Potions with Professor Slughorn followed Charms. His not-so-funny humor seemed to lighten the atmosphere, which Hermione appreciated greatly. The distraction was welcome.

Transfiguration was next, before their morning break. After that, they had Counselling. Hermione groaned. She'd be stuck with Malfoy again. However, in this morning's Transfiguration class, Professor McGonagall was teaching them how to make their desks come to life, and back again. Again, the distraction was welcomed. At least her classes were enough of a distraction to keep her from dwelling in her thoughts.

All too soon, however, their morning break came, and the three of them headed outside to the grounds. The air was cool on this fall morning, and Hermione sighed softly as she sat down on the steps of the castle side of the Viaduct. Harry and Ron stood in front of her, and her eyes wandered past them, looking up at the completely rebuilt castle. "It's really amazing, isn't it?" Hermione asked in a whisper. "How it could all be reconstructed in one summer." Of course, Hermione had grown up in the Muggle world – She still wasn't used to how much faster things happened in the Wizarding World.

Both Harry and Ron turned to look up at the castle, and Harry's head nodded in agreement. "It looks like it's never been touched," he murmured, though all three of them knew the difference in that.

Before they knew it, they were heading to the fourth floor for Counselling. Hermione rolled her eyes at the thought. The last thing she wanted was to be stuck with Malfoy again for another hour. However, she didn't argue or resist. She simply endured – It seemed she'd been doing quite a bit of that lately.

When they all took their seats next to their partners, Professor Lestrange's face lit up with a small smile. "Today, I want you all to apologize. It doesn't have to your partner personally, but it has to be for something you've been feeling guilty about. This particular exercise helps you open up and gain closure of all the events from the past." With that, Professor Lestrange started walking around the classroom, listening in on particular conversations.

With a heavy sigh, Hermione turned to Malfoy. They stared each other down for quite some time before either of them dared to speak. Hermione felt her stomach clench under his intense stare.

After drawing a deep breath, she realized she'd have to be the first one to speak. "I'm sorry," she murmured. "For all the lives that were put in danger because of Harry, Ron and I. I'm sorry for all the lives that were lost. I'm sorry for the lives that were ruined over the past year…" Hermione stopped speaking for a moment, watching Malfoy's face very carefully.

He was quiet for quite some time before he finally decided to speak. "I'm sorry..." he whispered, his eyes adverting from Hermione's. That was all he said for a few moments. "I'm sorry for calling you a Mudblood all those times. I'm sorry for being a foul, loathsome, evil cockroach." With that, Hermione's lip actually twitched, a smile threatening to break through. "I'm sorry for all the people I've hurt, all the things I've done… Most of all, I'm sorry for choosing the wrong side." As soon as the words left his lips, Professor Lestrange dismissed them all, after hearing something obviously disturbing from Seamus and Luna.

Hermione didn't have the chance to ask him what he'd meant. Perhaps he was only saying that to try and convince her he was turning over a new leaf. Hermione wasn't sure what to believe anymore, especially when it came to Malfoy. He'd been long gone before Hermione had a chance to even rise from her seat. She met Ron and Harry outside the classroom as they headed down to the Great Hall to get something to eat before their afternoon classes commenced.

There were full turkeys laid out on the platters, along with potatoes, stuffing and gravy. Hogwarts had the best food Hermione had ever tasted, by far. Before they were finished their meal, however, Pig – Ron's owl – flew by and dropped a letter right in front of him. Leaning over, Hermione read over his shoulder.

'Meet me at my place after your classes. It'd be great to see ya!'

It was obvious who the letter was from – Hagrid. Hermione smiled to herself. Hagrid was one of the few people who could make her smile all the time, no matter the circumstances. His carefree attitude was almost contagious.

* * *

When their afternoon classes were over, the trio headed outside to the grounds and down toward the Forbidden Forest, to Hagrid's hut. The hut was completely rebuilt, too, along with the castle. It, too, looked like it hadn't been touched by the Death Eaters, let alone burned to the ground.

Hermione sighed, images of Hagrid's home in ruins returning to her mind. The three of them approached the front door and knocked, waiting on the step for only a moment.

The door swung open and Hagrid appeared, a giant, very familiar, grin on his face. "Harry! Ron! 'Ermione!" he boomed. "How've yeh all been?" He clapped them on the back as they all entered his house, single file.

"Just fine, Hagrid," Harry answered. They all seemed to take their usual seats – Harry and Ron on the sofa, and Hermione on the single chair, her feet still not touching the ground. "How've you been all summer?"

"Just great!" he said excitedly. "I spent the summer in Romania with your brother, Ron. He let me take care of Norbert! Yeh should see the little fella'." His beard twitched, and it was obvious that he was smiling.

Their conversation followed suit – The three of them informing Hagrid of their summer activities, Ron proudly boasting that he and Hermione were finally together (The thought made her stomach clench), and Harry stumbling over his words, seeming nervous about the whole thing.

After they said their goodbyes, they left, heading back up to the school, just in time to eat dinner. Hermione seemed to be very quiet while eating, keeping her attention on her food. The events of the past couple of days continued to replay in her head.

When they'd finished the main course, and the food on the platters disappeared, Hermione looked up. "Do you think Malfoy could change?" she asked, her eyes focused on Harry, instead of Ron, who was sitting beside her. She directed the question toward Harry because she knew it had been Harry's idea to save both Malfoy and Goyle in the Room of Requirement during the Battle.

It almost made Hermione smile when she seen that Harry was speechless for a moment.

"Of course not!" Ron interjected. "He's a damned Death Eater, Hermione! Are you crazy?" Sneaking a glance at him from the corner of her eye, Hermione could see that his entire face had gone the color of his hair.

"Ronald, calm down," Hermione said, rolling her eyes. "It's just that, today in Counselling, he… He apologized to me… For calling me a Mudblood, and… For choosing the wrong side." The last bit came out in a rush, and her eyes immediately diverted back down to her empty plate. There was silence for a moment before she could look up at the two. They both looked stunned, their mouths wide open.

"He's trying to fool you, Hermione!" Ron reacted again. "He just wants you to believe he's changed. He wants to make this year easy for himself."

Turning to face him, the frustration was clear on Hermione's face. "How can this possibly be easy for him, Ron? Everyone in this school hates him. It must've taken quite a bit for him to come back this year and face everything. I… I feel sorry for him." She ended quietly, her eyes leaving Ron's face.

"That's exactly how he wants you to feel! And you're falling right into the palm of his hand. You can't believe this rubbish, Hermione." Ron's response only made Hermione's anger flare further. She couldn't seem to find the words to say to them.

Rising from her seat, she collected her books and stormed off through the Great Hall and outside to the grounds.

* * *

AN: So I had a review posted on the previous chapter, and though it was anonymous, I'd still like to respond to it. (:  
It simply stated about being able to keep the characters true to themselves. I feel like I'm doing this in the proper way, because, though Hermione is stubborn, she always seems to be the first to forgive. She always seems to have a soft spot, though she hasn't exactly given into Malfoy yet. And as for Draco, I feel like through the entire series, you catch glimpses of him, beneath his exterior. Which is what the Counselling class is doing for him. He acts strong and tough the rest of the time, but that class is really giving him a chance to be himself.  
Well, that's all I wanted to say! I really hope you're enjoying the story so far (:  
-xo!


	4. Chapter 4: Heart to Heart

OMG. Sorry it's taken me so long to to upload! I've had a crazy hectic week! But, I'm working on the next chapter already (:  
-xo!

* * *

It was still light outside, the sun a few hours from setting, so there was still plenty of time before she had to be back in her common room. It was exactly reasons like their most recent conversation that frustrated Hermione the most with Ron. He was so hotheaded. He never wanted to hear the entire story, and always jumped to conclusions.

As she wandered around the grounds, she found herself making her way toward the Quidditch pitch. Tryouts were for another couple of weeks, so Hermione knew she'd be alone down there. But, apparently someone else had the same idea, and he'd beat her to it.

"Malfoy," she whispered quietly as she spotted him sat outside the pitch on the grass, looking up at the sky. "What are you doing here?" Her voice was so quiet, she was surprised he had actually heard her.

The moment the words left her mouth, his head snapped down, his eyes staring straight back at her. "What does it look like, Granger? I want to be /alone/," he said, rolling his eyes. His eyes went back to avoiding her, but Hermione didn't move.

Instead, she walked closer to him, stopping only a few feet away. "What do you want?" he asked shortly, his eyebrow raised as he looked up at her.

Before she decided to answer, she closed the distance between them and lowered herself to the ground, sitting cross-legged next to him. "What you said today," she started, looking straight ahead, inside of the side. "Did you really mean it?" Slowly, and cautiously, her eyes moved to her right, glancing at him quickly. His eyes were closed to it didn't make a difference. She could see from the way the muscles in his face were clenched that he was hoping to avoid this particular conversation.

Quite a few minutes had passed before Draco even opened his eyes to look at her. "What difference would it make?" he answered with another question. "You'll still hate me either way. It's not like it will actually change things."

Hermione didn't budge; she didn't venture to speak. His words affected her somehow. They almost made her feel guilty. But, why would she feel guilty about something Malfoy said? She thought about what Ron had said to her earlier. Was he just trying to use her? For some reason, she didn't think so. Perhaps it was the mournful tone he'd used with her earlier that day.

"Maybe, maybe not," she whispered. Now it was her turn to be elusive and just stare up at the sky. It was grey and the air was cool around them.

"Won't Weasley get mad if he knows you're here with me?" Draco asked, and as Hermione closed her eyes, she could almost imagine he was a normal teenager.

Hermione snorted at his question, though. Maybe that's exactly what Ron needed. "Well, maybe he doesn't have to know," she said quietly, keeping her eyes closed.

"Aren't you afraid I'll do something to hurt you? I was a D—A Death Eater, after all." Hermione heard him falter, and she could tell that being a Death Eater hadn't affected him in a good way.

"You'd be expelled," Hermione said quietly, though she still had the 'know-it-all' tone. "Violence is prohibited at Hogwarts." Her eyes opened and looked up at him, surprised when she saw a tiny grin on his face. "What?" she asked, suddenly becoming self-conscious. "What is it?"

"Don't fret, Granger," Draco said quietly, shaking his head. "You almost seemed normal for a minute, that's all." He shrugged one shoulder, glancing away from her.

"Normal?" her voice squeaked. She watched him lift his hand to run his fingers through his hair, from the corner of her eye. He chuckled softly, shaking his head, without looking at her.

Again, it was another while before Draco spoke. Hermione could almost have smiled. In this moment, he didn't seem like the Malfoy she'd known for years, not the one that called her a Mudblood so many times, not the one that thought he was better than everybody else… No, in this moment, Draco Malfoy seemed her… Equal.

"I didn't /want/ to kill anybody," he finally whispered. Hermione could only assume that he was now answering her earlier question. "My father… He pushed the idea of blood purity on me since I was a baby. I really had no choice… It was all that I knew." With a heavy sigh, he laid back in the grass, his hands beneath his head, looking up at the sky.

"Draco, I…" Hermione started, but she didn't know what to say. Could she forgive him for all the terrible things he'd done?

"Forget it. I guess it's just good to know there's at least one person in this school I can have a civilized conversation with," he said, almost harshly. The sting in his voice made Hermione flinch. She wanted to forgive him. She didn't exactly think he deserved a second chance, but she'd give it to him, if he earned it.

"I really should be going," Hermione said as she looked up at the skyline and noticed the sun was very close to setting. "Maybe… Maybe we could do this again sometime and talk," she added in a whisper, looking at him warily. However, much to her surprise, Malfoy smiled slightly, looking over to meet her eyes.

"I think… I think I'd enjoy that, Granger," he said, before he rose from where he was sitting. Very cautiously, Malfoy held his hand out to Hermione, wanting to help her. Nearly dumbfounded, Hermione just sat there, staring at his outstretched hand. "I'm not going to hurt you, Granger," Malfoy muttered, looking at Hermione with his eyebrows raised expectantly.

Finally noticing that she wasn't breathing, Hermione drew a deep breath and reached up, taking his hand. It didn't shock her when she noticed that his flesh was very cold, though his hand was strong, with a tight grip, like he never wanted to let her go…

Shaking the thought from her mind, Hermione allowed him to pull her up and she released his hand immediately, brushing off her robes.

When Hermione was about to turn back to the school, Malfoy spoke again. "Would you like to walk up together?" he asked her, his voice gentle. "Or would Weasley completely lose his mind if he saw us?" Within a second, the condescending tone was back in his voice.

"Actually," she said, squaring her shoulders. "I don't really care what Ronald thinks right now." After taking one step toward the castle, Hermione waited for Malfoy to begin walking with her.

They were quiet for a few moments, until they were away from the Quidditch pitch. "Are you glad you came back?" Hermione asked, keeping her eyes fixed on her feet as she walked.

"Even though everyone here hates me?" Malfoy asked, his eyebrow raising. She heard a heavy sigh fall from his lips. "Yeah, believe it or not, I am. It… It shows that I'm not weak." His voice was hard and guarded again, and the edge made Hermione suck in a breath.

"I don't believe you're weak," she whispered. Both sets of eyes were directed toward their feet.

The sound of Malfoy scoffing echoed in Hermione's ears. "I don't think you really believe that, Granger. I… When Aunt Bella was…" He paused for a long moment, the words seeming hard for him to say. "I should have stopped her. I should have done something." Hermione glanced up, and she could see his leather-gloved hands curl into tight fists. She could hear the anger in his voice. Her initial reaction was to reach out and comfort him, but she realized that this was Malfoy – the enemy – not Ron. She couldn't comfort him like that…

"It's in the past," Hermione said, lifting her head and shaking out her hair. "I'm over it." But, instinctually, Hermione's hand lifted, touching her opposite forearm, where the word 'Mudblood' would always haunt her.

Without another word, they found themselves at the front steps of the castle. "I… I'll talk to you later," Hermione said, turning to face Malfoy. "Tomorrow. I'll see you tomorrow."

Before Hermione turned away, she could have sworn she seen the tiniest of smiles lighting up Malfoy's face.


	5. Chapter 5: Safe Haven

AN: Again, so so so sorry that it took me so long to post this! I'm really hoping to get more chapters posted sooner! I'm really enjoying this story, since this is one of the first non-cannon relationships I've done, but it's also my OTP. I also have a one-shot being posted soon, with my other OTP. Keep an eye out for that! (;  
-xo!

* * *

When Hermione got back up to the Common Room, there were only a few students still sitting around – Including Ron and Harry.

"Oh, look who's finally decided to grace us with her presence, Harry," Ron said, the irritation creeping into his voice. Clearly, he hadn't gotten over their earlier conversation. Hermione nearly smirked when she saw Harry elbow Ron in the ribs.

"If you two don't mind, I'm going to bed," Hermione said, striding toward them with her head held high. "Today has been simply exhausting. I'll see you both in the morning." With one quick last glance at them, Hermione grinned when she saw they were both staring at her in astonishment.

* * *

Waking up the next morning, Hermione realized it was by far the best sleep she'd had since the end of sixth year. She'd had dreams all night – Some which she welcomed gladly, others… She didn't. Most were about Malfoy, and she couldn't seem to shake the images of them as the day progressed.

Thursday mornings started with Potions, which Professor Slughorn had agreed to teach again this year. It pleased Hermione. At least Slughorn wasn't as hard on her as Snape had been… Her heart clenched. It still hurt her to think of Snape, dying for Harry. When they'd found out the truth, Hermione could barely believe it. Snape and Harry's mother… It was too much to digest. That was the reason he was fighting on their side…

Potions passed quickly, which Hermione was glad for. It wasn't her best subject, but she did almost enjoy it. It gave her some time to think, process things, since they weren't working with partners.

She thought about the talk her and Malfoy had the day before. His words wouldn't leave her mind, and she swore she'd soon go mad.

The rest of the day passed quietly, without Hermione so much as saying a word to Malfoy. Thankfully, McGonagall had given them a break and not included Counselling into their timetables for the day.

When Hermione had caught up with Harry and Ron after Ancient Runes, she overheard the conversation they were having.

"Hermione was only joking about that Malfoy thing yesterday," Ron said, obviously trying to convince Harry of this fact.

She heard Harry sigh, and she just knew he was shaking his head. "Are you sure? They /are/ partners in Counselling… Maybe she's seeing a different side of him. The side that actually deserved to be saved from Crabbe's stupid fire."

A tiny smile crept onto Hermione's face as she listened to Harry stick up for her. Before another word could be shared between the two friends, Hermione rounded the corner and plastered a fake smile on her face.

"Morning," she said curtly, not stopping to talk. She was quite self-satisfied when she heard the shuffling of feet behind her.

"Hermione," Ron said when the two boys finally reached her side. "I was just telling Harry that you were only joking yesterday. Y'know, about the whole Malfoy thing."

At the mention of his name, Hermione shot Ron a glare, almost glad that he didn't notice. "Really, Ronald. May I ask, what gives you that idea?" she said, holding her text books tightly to her chest.

"Well… It's Malfoy," he said, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. "We hate him. He's pure evil." He was struggling to keep up with Hermione and still manage to keep a constant gaze on her face.

"That's where I think you're wrong, Ronald," she said, the irritation slowly creeping into her voice. "You are obviously so hard-headed that you can't see that it /is/ possible for people to change! As I recall, you weren't fond of me at first, were you?" Hermione's eyebrow rose, her point obviously proven.

"I… Hermione…" Ronald was speechless, which made Hermione's ego inflate slightly. "But, /it's Malfoy/."

"If I recall correctly, Ronald, you weren't too fond of me when we first met," Hermione retorted without looking at him.

"/You're/ the one that punched him in the nose!" Ron accused, to which Hermione simply rolled her eyes.

She snorted. "It's not something I regret. He deserved that." She shrugged, keeping her eyes focused ahead of her. "Now, if you two don't mind, I'm going to the library. Professor Babbling already set an assignment, and I need to get a start on it, if I'm going to keep up this year." With that, she turned and left them.

As she hurried down the hallways, she thought about what Ron had said to her. Hermione /did/ hate Draco. She always had, ever since their first year at Hogwarts. And his place in the Battle hadn't helped that fact any. She knew she should hate him, even more than she already did, if that were at all possible. It was because of people like him that she lost her parents, and some of the only family she had left – Tonks, Remus, Fred… He was a Death Eater as much as any of the others. But, Snape had changed… Perhaps Draco could too…

Her thoughts were getting tangled up, and she wasn't at all paying attention to where she was going when she rounded the corner. Her eyes were focused on her feet, and her arms wrapped around a pile of books. Before she knew it, she ran right into someone, and was now sitting on the ground with all of her books scattered around her.

"Damn it, Granger, can't you watch where you're going?" was all she heard, in a very familiar voice. When she looked up, she was staring into the eyes of Draco Malfoy. "You really can't just leave me alone, can you?" His voice was teasing, which eased the guilt weighing on Hermione's conscience.

"Sorry, Draco," she apologized, leaning forward to collect her books. However, Draco froze, just staring at her. His stare suddenly made her self-conscious. "What? What is it?" she asked, slightly panicked.

"You… You called me Draco, not Malfoy," he whispered. He shook his head, collecting his thoughts, before kneeling down to help her pick up her books. She dusted off her uniform before standing and picking up her books.

"I've called you Draco before," she said stubbornly.

"You have, but not without sarcasm," he pointed out, handing her one last book. "Classes just started. Where are you going with all of these?" he asked, obviously trying to change the subject.

Hermione scoffed, shaking her head. "I just want to be sure I don't fall behind," she explained.

Malfoy raised an eyebrow, in obvious disbelief. "Hermione Granger, I seriously doubt that's possibly," he joked.

When Hermione started to walk, Malfoy turned, walking rather fast to keep up with her. "Are you /really/ going to the library?" he pried.

Without a word, she simply nodded. What else could she say? The library was her reserve, somewhere she could go without distractions when she wanted to escape the world around her. She couldn't very well tell Malfoy that she was going there to simply avoid Ron and Harry. Besides, Ron would be furious if he found of that she confided on Malfoy with something like that.

"I should go," Hermione murmured, picking up her speed as Malfoy slowed after she spoke. She left him standing behind her as she rushed toward the library – Her safe haven. The paintings on the walls were deep in discussion, and hardly noticed her as she hurried by.

When she broke through the doors, she sighed out of relief. It seemed she was the only one in there, though she wasn't entirely surprised. It was still the beginning of term. Madam Pince wasn't even there, but she rarely was at her desk – Always off in a corner, putting away books, or reading them.

Hermione went to the very back of the library, the most quiet corner in the room. She took her books from her bag and opened them up on the table.

As she stared at the pages, trying to make sense of them, she could only picture one thing – A pair of piercing grey eyes. She couldn't shake them. They could see right through her. They made her feel things she'd never felt before. Malfoy made her nervous and self-conscious, something she'd never felt with Ron. With Ron, everything was so easy. But, there were also arguments that were never concluded, tension that was never resolved. Over the summer, Hermione could feel things going downhill. She and Ron were growing further apart, and she knew there was nothing she could do about it. She couldn't force him to work things out with her, as much as she wanted him to.

With a resolute sigh, Hermione knew exactly what she had to do. But, for now, it could wait. She had an assignment to start.


	6. Chapter 6: Starcrossed

AN: So this chapter is exponentially longer than the others, but that's because A LOT happens in this chapter. Also, the chapters are going to be getting longer from here on out. But, that's all I'm going to say until the end, because I don't want any spoilers (:

* * *

**Draco's POV:**

Her brown eyes followed him everywhere. Everywhere he went, he hoped to bump into her, or to hear her laugh further down the hallway. Her presence gave him a sense of security that he hadn't felt for a long time. Her warm eyes made him feel safe, like good things were finally coming, pushing out the darkness that had been living within him for so long.

Since their first day back to Hogwarts, Draco had been unable to get her out of his mind. He had never been this distracted by someone before, not even Pansy, who he had spent years with before. It was an all-new feeling to him. He longed to just be near her, but it was almost impossible with that annoying Weaslebee hovering around.

He was close to almost giving up on the idea, until the two ran right into each other earlier that day. Seeing the way her cheeks flushed with a rush of blood, and how she stumbled to pick up her books. Instead of insulting him, she actually apologized. He never thought he'd see the day.

Draco knew he was far from deserving any sort of forgiveness from her, but the ability to have a civil conversation with her was enough for now.

There was only one thing that was really stopping him from making the effort to get closer to her – She was a mudblood. Her very existence went against everything he was taught since he was a child. But, Hermione, in and out of herself, proved that very belief to be oh so wrong. She was easily the smartest witch of their age, and she, along with others, had fought to take down the Dark Lord. It was quite obvious that being a mudblood wasn't all bad.

With a heavy sigh, Draco pushed himself up from his bed, sitting up and pressing his bare feet to the cold stone floor of the dungeons. It was dark outside now, but it wasn't past curfew yet – He was still free to wander around the castle. He stuffed his feet into his shoes and pulled his sweater up around his neck. He took his wand, tucking it in the inside of his sweater. Leaving his dormitory, he wandered through the cold hallways, the light from the lamps reflecting on the shiny stone wall.

Draco did nothing but wander around the castle for what seemed like hours. He almost wanted to go visit Snape's portrait, but he had a feeling Professor McGonagall wouldn't appreciate his company in her office. As he walked about the corridors, he couldn't help but find himself wondering what Hermione was doing, and what she might possibly be thinking about in that moment. He cursed himself for thinking about her so much lately – He knew full well that he didn't deserve someone as good as her.

**Hermione's POV**:

"Hermione, are you okay?" Ron asked, finally breaking through when he reached out and touched her hand.

"What? Oh, yeah, I'm fine," she said, shaking her head quickly, dismissing her thoughts. In all honesty, she _wasn't_ fine. Her thoughts were all a jumble lately. She didn't know how to make sense of them. One moment, she was thinking about the War, trying to sift through all of the guilt she felt. The next, she couldn't get her mind off of Draco Malfoy and the new insight he brought forth. On top of all that, she was trying to keep up in her courses, even though they were only a week into term.

"You just seem… Distracted," Ron said, his bushy eyebrows pulling together, speculating. "Not yourself, you know?" She wasn't sure, but his voice seemed to slur his words together more than usual. He didn't quite seem like himself.

"I'm fine, Ronald," Hermione insisted, irritation creeping into her voice. She hated when Ron would pry. He'd been at it all summer. He always wanted to know what was wrong. For once in her life, she wanted to talk to someone who wouldn't judge her for all of the guilt that was piled on top of her shoulders. But, all Ron did was judge – He'd been judging her since day one, since the moment they first met on the train.

Sitting next to her on the sofa, Ron scooted closer to her and wrapped his arm around her shoulders. They were the only ones there – The others were either in their dormitories, or had found somewhere more exciting to be. As he leaned in closer, Hermione could smell the Firewhiskey from his breath. Ron had taken to drinking it over the summer – She assumed it had helped him with the same issues Hermione had been having. However, she had no idea that he had brought it to school with him.

Hermione dismissed the thought, positive that she wasn't supposed to bring it up. His warm breath was sticky on her neck as she felt his free hand roam over her thigh. "Ronald," she said in a hushed tone, afraid that anything louder would call attention to them.

She had only just noticed that her entire body had gone ridged from the moment he began touching her. She and Ron had never been physical throughout the whole summer. Hermione couldn't find it in herself to allow him to touch her beyond a kiss or two. And now, his hands were all over her and she couldn't seem to find her voice to tell him to stop. It was as if her throat had closed off and she'd lost all ability to speak.

Feeling his hand slide between her legs, moving further up, Hermione finally grabbed at his hand, trying to use all of her strength to stop him, to no avail. "Ron, please," Hermione said in a frantic whisper. "Please, stop." She used all the force she could to push his hand away, but he fought against her.

"C'mon, Hermione," he said in a slightly slurred tone. "There's no one here. We're all alone. We won't get caught." His other hand was rested on her shoulder and his slipped just beneath the neck line of her shirt, his callused fingers brushing roughly at her smooth skin. His hand moved again, then, from her legs to her stomach, creeping under the thick fabric of her top, pushing it up out of the way.

Hermione used both of her hands and all of her might to try to push her top back down. "Ronald, you have to stop," she said, her voice growing louder this time. She knew if she drew attention to them, it was the only way to get him to stop. "Ron!" her voice raised, becoming quite panicked when no one showed up after a moment or two. With all of the strength in her, she managed to push both of his hands away from her as she stood up and backed away from him.

After a moment of realizing what exactly had just happened, the tears began to form in Hermione's eyes as Ron simply sat there and stared at her. "Don't ever touch me again," Hermione said, her voice a deathly whisper, using the last bit of courage she had left.

Before she could allow the tears to betray her, she turned and ran from the common room, out onto the staircase. She stopped just on the other side of the Fat lady just for a moment, trying to decide which way to go. Indecisive, she headed down toward the Entrance Hall, hoping to find a quiet corner somewhere in the castle.

**Draco's POV:**

Walking past the doors to the Great Hall, Draco noticed it was nearly dark outside. Everyone would soon be heading to their dormitories, and he'd be sentenced back to a lonely night with his thoughts once more.

As he walked toward the staircase, he could have sworn he heard someone crying. It was coming from the Grand Staircase, just near the Entrance Dungeon. Draco knew he shouldn't interfere – What was it to him if someone was upset? – But his curiosity got the better of him, and he crept closer, peeking around the corner of the staircase.

Hermione was sat there, her knees pulled up to her chest, and her arms wrapped around her legs. Tears that left her eyes made trails running down her cheeks.

Draco tried to back away without making any noise, but he caught her attention before he could.

When he met her eyes, Hermione lifted her hand frantically to wipe the tears from her face. "I bet you're loving this," she said coldly, her eyes darting away from him.

"I…" Draco started. He was speechless. What could he say to her? If this were a couple years previous, he'd already be teasing her. But… Something was different now. Seeing her in this compromising position, it made him feel… Guilty for all of the times he'd hurt her before.

After inhaling deeply, Draco took a step toward her, before finally closing the space. He sank down next to her, leaving a small space between them. "You don't have to tell me what's wrong," Draco whispered to her. "But, if you _do_ want to talk, I can listen."

**Hermione's POV:**

From his words, Hermione felt another wave of sobs break through her. She'd trusted Ron for so long, and now, the one person she was finding confidence in was Draco Malfoy, her sworn enemy.

"It's everything," she whispered, after taking a few deep breaths to calm herself. "I've been having nightmares nearly every night for months, Ron just isn't the same anymore, and now there's you," she said in a rush. She didn't want to have to explain, but she felt like if she didn't get this off her chest, she was going to explode.

"M-Me?" Draco asked, his voice echoing off the walls around them. "Why me?"

Hermione felt her chest tighten. She couldn't explain to him that she hadn't been able to get him off her mind since their first class together. No, she definitely couldn't do that. It would take too much explaining, and she wasn't up for that right now.

"Just… Some of the things you said in class," she murmured, her arms wrapping tighter around her chest. That was safe enough, and she hoped he would get the point.

Her eyes welled up again, her minding constantly flicking back to the moment she and Ron had shared earlier. She felt betrayed, violated. It wasn't Ron, but at the same time, it was. He still had the choice to do what he did – He tried to take advantage of her. The whole scene continued to replay in her mind, and she couldn't shake it. Her tears began pouring down over her cheeks again, and her body shook as she tried to control the sobs. The last thing she wanted was for Malfoy to see her like this.

**Draco's POV:**

He watched again as the tears welled up in Hermione's eyes once more. Acting on instinct, and unable to see her hurting any longer, Draco wrapped one arm around her. He pulled her closer to him, into his chest as he held her. He felt her body quake fiercely as his fingers gently combed through her curly hair.

"It'll be okay," Draco whispered to her, though he was unsure if she could actually hear him over her sobs. He wondered for a brief moment if she felt as awkward in this situation as he did. This was one place he had never expected himself to be. Firstly, he was comforting someone – That wasn't usually Draco's style. Second, it was Hermione Granger. Last year, she'd never let him within forty feet of her, and now here he was, holding her, offering her comfort.

Neither of them spoke for a while, until Hermione's sobs had finally stopped, and she wiped her tear-stained cheeks. Even still, they both remained quiet, his arm still wrapped around her, brushing her shoulder gently, consoling her. He still wasn't sure what was wrong, but who was he to judge?

**Hermione's POV:**

Hermione was shocked when she felt Draco's arm wrap around her. She didn't speak, however, too distracted with her own tears. She remembered thinking that, compared to the same situation she had been in earlier that night, Hermione welcomed the warmth that Draco offered to her. His hands weren't rough the same way that Ron's were – They were gentle, tender. He didn't want to hurt her, or to take advantage of her the way Ron had.

With a sigh of relief, her tears had finally slowed, eventually coming to a stop. It was a long while after before Hermione even contemplated moving. What would she say to him? It wasn't like she had asked him to come to her rescue. She didn't _want_ someone to talk to, though it was nice having a shoulder to cry on. She groaned quietly before lifting her head from his chest. Pulling away from him, she could just barely see his eyes in the light that the torches on the walls offered. "Draco, I—" she started, but was cut off immediately, when a pair of gentle lips touched hers.

Her entire body went ridged, but not in the same way it had before. Right now, she was just shocked. She didn't feel violated in the way that Ron had made her feel. In just a moment, her body relaxed, melting into his. Their lips molded together, like there was no one else in the world more perfect for each other. Her mind clouded, and she lost all coherent thought until he finally broke from the kiss.

Her hand lifted to her lips as her breathing worked to slow down. "Draco…" she whispered, her deep brown eyes meeting with his.

**Draco's POV:**

With both of them sitting there unmoving, Draco could feel the tension growing around them. Finally, she lifted her head from her chest, and at the same time, both of them sighed with relief. If it weren't for the circumstances, Draco probably would have chuckled.

"Draco, I—" he heard her start, but before he knew what he was doing, his lips were on hers. It was a different kiss, different than any one he'd ever shared with Pansy, or anyone else for that matter. This was a kiss of star-crossed lovers on their one forbidden night together. Something tender, loving that they'd cherish in their memories for a lifetime. Because Draco knew that's all that they would have – Their memories. They'd never actually be able to act on their feelings again. They were enemies, they always had been. She was a mudblood, something that he was supposed to hate. But he _didn't_ hate her.

His mind was all a blur when he finally broke from her, pulling away and meeting her warm brown, glassy eyes.

"Draco…" she whispered. The way she said his name, so innocent, in a whisper that could barely be heard, caused a lump to form in his throat. What had he just done? In the heat of the moment, he hadn't stopped to think about the repercussions. This was bad for the both of them.

But how could something so bad feel so, so good?

* * *

AN: Sooo, how about that? (: I really hated making Ron seem like a bad guy, that's why I tried to tone it down a bit. I know he does care for Hermione, so I tried to keep that true in the story too. I do love Ron, but this is a Dramione story (:  
Also, I'm trying to keep to the characters as much as I can, so if you could give me some feedback that'd be great. I really appreciate all the reviews and how many people are actually taking the time to read my story. It means so much!  
I'll try to post again soon, but for now, check out my other story 'Careful What You Wish For' and my Lily/Remus one-shot 'Wolfsbane'.  
-xo!


	7. Chapter 7: Bruised & Bleeding

**Hermione's POV:**

Her tears had stopped quite some time ago, her cheeks were now dry, and her eyes weren't as red as before. She hoped that when she made it back to the dormitory, no one would be able to see she had been crying.

In a state of paranoia, Hermione thought she heard a shuffling of footsteps behind her, but when she turned to look, there was nothing there. All of the portraits in the hallway surrounding her were sleeping, there gentle snores saved her from the unbearable silence. She kept her wand tucked away, not wanting to call unneeded attention to herself.

She and Draco had parted ways not so long ago, barely any words shared between them other than "I'll see you later." Her lips still stung from the electricity that bolted through her when Draco kissed her. Her hand reached up, brushing across her lips as she made her way up to the Seventh Floor, toward the Gryffindor Common Room. She desperately hoped that Ron had already made his way to bed, the effects of the Firewhiskey making him drowsy.

She just reached the landing of the Seventh Floor when a pair of hands grabbed her from behind, one wrapping around her waist, while the other clasped over her mouth. She recognized the rough, calloused hands immediately. A tremor worked its way through her body.

What was he doing? He dragged her from the Seventh Floor corridor, without Hermione making a sound. He was much stronger than she was, and she knew not to fight back. Not yet. His breath was hot and heavy in her ear when he finally stopped in front of an empty wall. Hermione knew where she was. How many times in the past few years had she entered this room? No one would be able to find them here, and she shuddered again, tears pushing over her eyelids as she realized his intent.

She tried to struggle against his hands, but it was no use. He pushed her into the room, his shoulder pressed against her back. When they were both inside the room, he released her and spun her around to face him. She stared into the face she had one known. His bright orange hair was the same as before, but now his features had hardened, his eyes were no longer the smiling orbs they had once been. Now they were cold, distant, ones she didn't recognize.

"Ron," she whispered, her voice cracking. Her throat was dry with fear of what he might do to her.

"I saw you with him, you know," he said, his voice menacing. It wasn't his voice – His words were slurred, with an edge that Hermione didn't associate with him. "How could you do that? You don't let me touch you for months, but the moment we're back in school, you run off to _him_," he spit the word at her, like it was poison on his tongue. "He's the _enemy_, but that obviously doesn't matter to you."

He stepped toward her, pressing her against the wall. His hands gripped her hips, his fingers curling into the soft skin. Hermione knew she would have bruises in the morning.

"Since you like _our_ enemy so much, maybe you deserve to be treated like one, too," Ron said, his voice low, threatening. One hand released her and it raised, Hermione's eyes trained on it. It lowered, connecting with her jaw, a white hot pain spreading through her face and down her neck. She choked back a sob, her eyes closing tight as her jaw clenched.

His arm pulled back again, but this time his hand was curled into a fist when it made contact with her stomach. Her body lurched forward as she fought for her breath. "Ron," she wheezed, her lids covering over her brown eyes. "Please…" She coughed again, her arms folding over her stomach.

Releasing his other hand from her side, his hands gripped her shoulders as her body slumped. The next thing she felt, her back collided to the wall behind her. For a moment, she didn't feel his hands anywhere on her body. Finally, her legs gave out beneath her, and she fell to the floor, defeated. She heard feet walk a few steps away from her, then turn back.

Her heavy eyelids opened, and scanned the room slowly. He was kneeling in front of her, his face close to hers. "You'll get what you deserve," he whispered, his voice sending tremors through her. "This is only the beginning."

Her body crumpled, her knees pulling in to her chest. When she heard the door close, her head leaned forward, tears falling uncontrollably from her eyes. Her body quaked as the sobs racked her small frame. Hermione didn't cry, normally. But this was too much.

**Draco's POV:**

It was Saturday, and classes had been called off for the weekend. Draco rose from his bed, stifling a yawn. Then, memories from the night before flooded back to him. The feel of her lips against his, the way she sighed softly whenever he touched her. Even just the thought of it made her smile.

He headed down to the Great Hall for breakfast with the rest of the Slytherins. As they were eating, his eyes drifted across the room to the Gryffindor table, landing on Potter and Weaselbee. Hermione wasn't sitting with them. Maybe she was sitting further down the table with Loony or Longbottom, but she wasn't there either. It wasn't like Hermione to skip out on anything, even if it was just breakfast.

Draco finished quickly, leaving half of his breakfast still on his plate. He was the first to leave the Great Hall, and as he scanned the room once more before leaving, he noticed Weasley's eyes following him.

He left the Great Hall, turning and jumping onto one of the staircases heading up just as it was about to move. He walked to the edge of the staircase and waited for it to come to a stop. He counted all the landings and when the staircase finally stopped, he was at the Seventh floor. In all honesty, he hadn't spent much time on the Seventh floor. It was mainly where the Gryffindor common room was, and he tried to stay as far away from there as possible. But, in his search for Hermione, this might be a good place to start.

Just as he turned the corner, about to start his search, Draco saw the back of her head walking away from him. He picked up his speed so he was nearly running to catch up with her. She was still in the uniform she was wearing last night, he noticed, and her curls were ruffled like she hadn't brushed it yet.

"Hermione," he said quietly when he finally caught up to her. He reached out, his hand brushing hers, hoping she'd stop.

"Leave me alone," she whispered, keeping her face turned from him. What had he done? Last night when they parted ways, everything seemed to be okay. There was no way he could have done something to her since then. Her voice sounded scratchy, like she had been crying.

Gently, his hand clasped around her wrist, and tugged, willing her to stop. "Can't you tell me what's wrong?" he whispered. Her pace slowed, and when she turned to face him, he could see the redness in her eyes. She had, in fact, been crying. "What's wrong?" he whispered again, his voice barely audible.

Then he saw it – the redness that colored her swollen lip and the deep purple that circled her eye. "What happened to you?" he asked, the tone of his voice menacing, different from the concern that filled it before. His grey eyes swirled with anticipation of what she might say. Honestly, Draco couldn't think of someone that would hurt her like this.

Since it was just the two of them in the corridor, Draco's hand released Hermione's wrist, wanting to be gentler as his hand lifted and his fingertips brush her lip, where the swelling was. No wonder she wasn't at breakfast this morning. Draco felt his heart sink when he noticed her head turn from his hand, almost like a flinch. As much as he would have enjoyed Granger's pain a couple of years previous, the thought of it now caused his stomach to churn.

"Let me help you," he murmured, his eyes searching her warm brown ones. He could see the pain within their depths and he vowed to himself, in that moment, that he would never hurt this girl standing in front of him.

Taking out his wand, Draco moved it carefully in front of her face, and murmured a set of very familiar words. "_Vulnera Sanentur_," he whispered, watching the redness and bruises fade from her face. The words caused him a sense of déjà vu that he didn't particularly enjoy. His mind was momentarily brought back to sixth year, in Moaning Myrtle's bathroom, and his duel with Potter. Snape had saved him that night, one of many times.

**Hermione's POV:**

"Thank you," she whispered, the first thing she had said to him since he found her. She immediately felt the pain dissolved from her face and stomach, the results of last night's events.

She considered telling Malfoy what had happened between her and Ron, but she had a good feeling that Malfoy's reaction wouldn't be forgiving. "Do you want to tell me what happened?" she heard him murmur once more, his cold, strong hand returning gently to her face. Hermione simply shook her head – She didn't need Malfoy to fight her battles for her, and she knew that's what would happen if she explained.

"Can we just go somewhere?" she asked quietly, her brown eyes finally lifting to meet his. She was still in her clothes from the day before and her long mane hadn't been tamed, but she didn't care in that moment. The only person she cared about seeing her was already standing in front of her.

"Want to go to Hogsmeade? We can spend the day there – get butterbeer at the Three Broomsticks', shop a little at Honeyduke's and Zonko's," he suggested. The idea of getting out of the castle and Ron's proximity for the day appealed to her.

Her head nodded as she agreed. "I'll meet you at the bridge in a half hour," she said, her mood brightening slightly. She leaned up and pressed a quick kiss to his cheek before taking off down the hallway and behind the Fat Lady.

**Draco's POV:**

Exactly a half hour later, Draco was waiting at the bridge, just outside the main double-doors of the school. She was nowhere to be seen, but Draco decided to be patient for once in his life. He waited, leaning against the railing of the bridge, watching the other students pass back and forth in front of him, none stopping to actually notice him.

When he finally seen her approaching him, Draco smiled. She looked much better than she had earlier that morning. Her chocolate eyes swirled and her hair had been brushed perfectly, the curled framing her face. He straightened up and took a few steps to meet her, holding his hand out.

"Let's go," he whispered as he leaned down to her ear and they both headed across the bridge toward the little town.

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A/N: AHH. It's so hard to make Ron be the bad guy. As much as I like Dramione, I love Ron. Anyway, I hope you all like it, and I'm sorry it took me so long to post another chapter. I've had written for nearly 2 months, but I just hadn't had time to post it! As always, feedback is appreciated (:


	8. Chapter 8: Worries

A/N: So, the positive comments from the last chapter really encouraged me to write this one (even though I should be studying!) (: It may seem a bit slow, and like nothing's happening, but I promise it'll pick up again soon (: This is basically just a space-filler, and the drama shall pick again very very soon.  
-xo!

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**Hermione's POV**:

When his hand reached out to her, Hermione was hesitant for just a moment, wondering if being together in public was such a good idea. Ron had warned her, and she knew that if he saw her and Draco together again, it would be much worse this time. Swallowing her fear, Hermione looked up into Draco's deep grey eyes and took his hand as they both turned to head toward the small village of Hogsmeade.

Other students passed them as they made their way down the cobblestone lane, and Hermione could feel their eyes on the pair. It was hard for her to ignore, though she was used to the feeling of people staring. During her first year at Hogwarts, Hermione was always the outcast. Now, just when she was finally starting to fit in, she had thrown it all away. She was aware that the rumors would spread like wildfire, and Ron would hear about this by the end of the day.

Pushing the thought from her mind, she decided she'd deal with that when the time came.

**Draco's POV:**

The warmth from Hermione's small hand spread throughout his entire body. He wasn't accustomed to the feeling, but he knew he could get used to it in a hurry. The thought caused his lips to curve up in a small smile. His eyes stayed trained ahead of him until he felt Hermione's hand tense, and he knew that her thoughts must've drifted away from the present.

He tugged on her hand, his eyes glancing to the side, down at her. When her head perked up and her eyes met his, his smile widened. A few months previous, he never would have imagined that they'd be together, like this.

"What's on your mind?" Draco asked lightly, making conversation, as his hand released hers and his arm wrapped loosely around her shoulders. He pulled her close to him, enjoying the feel of her body pressed into his side. His head turned and he breathed in the smell of her hair, allowing it to fill him – freesia, and lavender with a slight hint of mint. The scent would be forever embedded in his mind. Her hair fluttered, causing the scent to fill his nose, as she shook her head.

Draco's eyes rolled, a teasing smile on his lips. "C'mon," he whispered, so only she could hear him. "You know you can trust me." The moment the words left Draco's lips, he regretted them. Perhaps she couldn't trust him. It wasn't like he'd ever given her reason to. In fact, he wasn't really sure why she was here with him right now. The way he'd treated her before… His mind had been so corrupted then, by both his family and the Dark Lord. The smile faded away from his face then, until he heard her tiny voice speak up.

"It's Ron," she whispered. Draco's temper flared for a moment, realizing that it was obviously Ron who had hurt her earlier. "He's just… Not himself anymore. He's… Changed," she murmured, her head tilted down toward the ground. Draco could barely hear the words she whispered, but he heard enough. Stopping in his tracks, Draco turned to face her. Her head was still turned toward her feet, but he lifted his hand, gently bringing her face up to look at his. "Are you okay?" he whispered. In that moment, that was the most important thing to him. Draco didn't quite understand why; in all the years he had been with Pansy, he had never once felt the need to protect her or help her the way he felt with Hermione right now. And of all people, Hermione Granger? The exact girl he'd tortured for years.

"I'm fine," she murmured, her voice barely gracing Draco's ears. She was so timid now – She didn't wear the tough exterior she'd shown for the past seven years. She was beautifully broken, and Draco wanted to be the one to fix her. He _had_ to be.

It was obvious to him that she didn't want to say anything more on the subject, so instead of pressing it, he simply let it go, taking her hand again. "Let's get going then. Next thing you know, The Three Broomsticks'll be closed," he said to her, squeezing her hand comfortingly.

**Hermione's POV:**

The feeling of Draco's cool, yet soft hand slipping back into hers brought a sense of relief to her. She knew she didn't need to worry about Ron, at least for the day. Without another word, the two of them finally arrived in Hogsmeade. She felt Draco tug slightly on her hand, and she looked up at him curiously as he pulled her toward Zonko's joke shop. Her thin eyebrow arched as he pulled her toward the store. Draco never seemed like the joke shop person, the way Ron did. She was curious as to why he was bringing her there.

Inside, things were bouncing off the walls, and music played loudly throughout the shop. Hermione smiled at the feeling of familiarity the place bought her – She, Harry and Ron had spent quite a bit of time there whenever they'd visit Hogsmeade. Of course, today she was there with Draco, not Harry or Ron. She sighed softly, finally realizing just how much things had actually changed.

"Come with me," Draco said softly to her, still pulling her toward the back of the shop. This time, however, her brow furrowed, wondering what he could possibly want to show her.

When he finally stopped, the curiosity was eating at Hermione. Draco released her hand and turned his back to her, picking something up off the shelf.

As he turned back to face her, Hermione couldn't help but laugh at the mask he held up to his face. It was green, with a long nose, warts and a partial black, pointed hat – The muggle version of a witch. The idea of it left a smug grin on her face. All throughout her childhood, until she received her letter, that was her idea of what a witch was. The day she first arrived in Diagon Alley, amongst real witches and wizards, when she was only eleven years old, was when everything changed for her. She finally knew where she fit in, finally found her true calling. She was _meant_ to be a witch.

**Draco's POV:**

When Draco removed the mask from his face, there was a smile left behind. The warmth of Hermione's smile filled him, and he was sure he could stand there all day and just stare at her. Putting the mask back on the shelf, he slipped his hand back into hers. He didn't care how public they were – This moment was so perfect, no one could ruin it for him, not even Weaslebee.

Tugging gently on her hand, he pulled her body close to his and his arm wrapped around her waist. He listened to her sharp inhale, and his lips curled up into a grin. He knew there were a limited amount of things they could do here. Instead, he simply pressed his lips to her forehead, deciding that would be enough for now.

He felt her body lean into him, and the whole act felt so intimate that he had to remind himself they were in the back of Zonko's. He could feel the eyes on them, so with a reluctant sigh, he took a step back, but still keeping her hand in his.

"Let's go somewhere else," he said quietly, leading her out of the shop. He had a feeling there was in there that would interest them, so instead he brought her to The Three Broomsticks, asking for a table near the back, something a little more private.

They were seated in the corner table, in the very back of the place. Draco sat closer than expected to her, and he draped his arm casually around her shoulders. He ordered them two butterbeers, then turned to face her.

"Are you having fun?" he asked her, a hopeful smile on his face. Her head nodded, her soft curls bouncing around her face. His stomach did somersaults at the sight. He wondered why he hadn't seen this before – Well, of course, he knew why. His father and the others corrupted him – Blood purity had once been the most important thing to him, but not anymore. Now he did what was right for him, and he knew that this beautiful creature sitting in front of him was exactly that.

**Hermione's POV:**

Hermione's eyes gazed around the restaurant, noticing the few people that were seated. Her eyes landed on the couple that walked in through the door – Ginny and Harry. Hermione shrunk into the seat, hoping Harry wouldn't see her. Two of her best friends – She hoped they would understand, but Draco had done some pretty unforgivable things… Then, Hermione remembered, Harry had also gone out of his way to save Draco's like, not once, but _twice_ during the last battle.

Her eyes caught Harry's and she offered him a sheepish smile, hoping he would understand. She noticed the corner of his lips curve slightly, and he gave her a short nod. Hermione let out the breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding. Perhaps he did understand, or at the very least, he didn't hate her for who she was sitting with.

The server returned with their butterbeers, and Hermione smiled as thanks as she accepted it. She took a small sip then placed the mug back on the table. Drawing a deep breath, Hermione turned to face Draco. "Do you ever worry," she started, her brown eyes lifting to meet his, "What others think of you?" She chewed on her bottom lip as she waited for a response. Normally, Hermione didn't let others opinions bother her, but the thought of Harry and Ginny turning their backs on her made her shudder. That was the last thing she wanted.

**Draco's POV**:

When Hermione turned to face him, Draco smiled at her, listening to her question. It threw him for a loop, at first, until he realized who had walked in and why she had asked it. "What do _you_ think?" he asked her. He knew the answer should have been obvious. He might've been one of the most popular in Slytherin house, but he knew he wasn't well liked amongst the other students. In fact, he knew that the other students went out of their way to avoid him. He had been a bully for most of his years at Hogwarts, and now it had come back to haunt him. The only person who had associated with him in months was Hermione.

He sighed and leaned forward, pressing his lips against her forehead. "It'll be okay," he murmured, pulling back to look down into her eyes. "If they really care about you, and I know they do, they'll accept your choices, Granger," he said, a teasing smile playing on his lips. "You'll be okay," he whispered again.

Draco's arm tightened around her, pulling her closer. His face pressed into her hair and he inhaled deeply, his lips pressing a kiss there.

When he pulled away, he pushed Hermione's mug toward her. "Now, drink up," he said, a grin curling up his lips. "We have the whole day ahead of us, remember."


	9. Chapter 9: Quidditch

****A/N: So, I know this is a short chapter, and again, it's a bit of a space-filler. But that's just because I want what follows this chapter to be in one, and not split up, so enjoy, and hopefully I'll have the next chapter up soon (:  
-xo!

* * *

**Hermione's POV:**

Days passed and things remained the same. Ron wasn't interfering, and her time with Dracoalways left her speechless. The only problem was, Ginny and Harry weren't speaking to her either. _They just don't understand_, she told herself, sure that was the answer. But perhaps… Perhaps they felt betrayed as well. Draco was, after all, their worst enemy. Maybe she was making a mistake. But… The way her heart fluttered whenever Draco would touch her told her otherwise. She knew this was the right thing, for her, and Harry and Ginny would come around eventually.

Hermione was in the Great Hall for breakfast this particular Saturday morning. She sat at the Gryffindor table alone; not many people were there – They were already lining up at the Quidditch pitch for the game that afternoon between Gryffindor and Hufflepuff. Hermione smiled at the idea. Normally, she'd be first in line to see her three best friends play, but today… She wasn't sure her presence would be appreciated.

That was when the mail arrived and an owl swooped over her head, dropping an envelope on the table right in front of her.

_Meet me at the Room of Requirement this evening at 8. You know where it is._

_D_

The note was simple, yet Hermione couldn't stop the smile that took over her face. When she realized others were probably staring at her ridiculously love-struck expression, Hermione stood from the table, collecting her books and hurrying out of the Great Hall.

Glancing at the clock that hung in the Entrance Hall, Hermione decided that perhaps she would make an appearance at the Quidditch game. It was only 11 – There were still another 9 hours before she had to meet Draco.

It was nearing the end of October and the weather was finally starting to cool down, so Hermione took a detour to her dormitory to collect a jacket and hat before she made her way down to the pitch. As she walked out of the castle and toward the goal posts she could see in the distance, Hermione couldn't help but think about what had happened over the past few months. She also couldn't help the days she would walk down here with Ron or Ginny, back when it was just Harry playing on the team.

Pulling her from her thoughts, she noticed Luna and Neville walking just up ahead. She picked up her pace to catch up with them and slowed when she reached Luna's side. "Hello, you two," Hermione said, a small smile playing on her lips.

"Hermione, hi," Neville said, smiling down at her. He hadn't become any more graceful over the last year, and this caused Hermione's smile to widen. She did, however, notice that he and Luna were holding hands. "How are you?" he asked, his expression telling her he was obviously happy to see her.

"I'm great, actually. How are you two?" she asked, her eyes drifting down to their hands.

Neville let out a nervous chuckle and smiled sheepishly. "Couldn't be better," he answered, smiling down at Luna.

"Oh, yes," she added, her familiarly distant voice a pleasure for Hermione to hear. "Everything's perfect."

"Do you mind if I walk down to the pitch with you?" Hermione asked, hopeful that he wouldn't ask questions. In sixth year, Hermione often watched the Quidditch games alone, as Harry, Ron and Ginny were all playing.

Neville's smile widened and he nodded his head toward the pitch. "Of course not. The more the merrier. But, we'd better hurry. It's about to start," he answered, tugging Luna along as they hurried their way down to the pitch.

Hermione smiled to herself as they climbed up into the stands, finding a good place to watch. It was nice to finally associate with some of her old friends. As much as she enjoyed spending her time with Draco, she had to admit, she missed all of her friends – Neville, Luna, Dean, Seamus… The thought caused her to sigh, though she hoped no one would notice it.

They watched the game without saying much, only cheering whenever Gryffindor scored or made a good play. During a timeout that Harry called, Luna turned to Hermione as Neville was busy talking to Dean and Seamus. "Are you sure you're okay?" Luna asked her. "You don't seem like yourself." Hermione knew what she meant. She knew why she hadn't seen her friends in ages. She and Draco hadn't exactly kept their friendship a secret. She was sure everyone in the school knew about it by now.

"Everything is so different this year," Hermione murmured, ambiguously answering Luna's question. "It's hard to believe that just a few months ago…" She trailed off, thinking of how exactly where they were now standing had been set afire during the final battle. She sighed, her shoulders slumping as her eyes wandered out toward the pitch, looking at the players as the game resumed.

"We've all changed so much," Hermione continued. "It's just so hard to slip back into our old lives…" She didn't look back at Luna – Her eyes stayed trained on the players on their brooms. Then finally, her eyes landed on him. It was the first time she'd seen him since… Since that night. Her breathing got caught in her throat and her eyes widened. She remembered the menacing look in his eyes, and how different he looked, compared to now. She noticed the grin on his face as he stopped a goal, his best friend flying by and giving him a high-five.

"I think… I think I'm going to go, Luna," Hermione said quietly, noticing that Luna's attention had returned to the game. Hermione couldn't stand being there and having to look at him, Ron, like things were completely normal, like he hadn't done those terrible things to her. "I'll… See you later," she said softly, nodding a goodbye to Luna and Neville.

Walking away from the pitch, Hermione finally let go of the breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding. The tears trickled from her eyes as she walked up toward the castle. Just seeing Ron hurt her more than she could imagine. Everything seemed to be so normal for a few moments, that she had nearly forgotten what he'd done, and what they had all been through just a few months ago.

Hurrying straight up to her dormitory, Hermione realized she still had a few hours before she had to meet Draco. With a heavy sigh, she pulled her books from her bag and started in on a Defense Against the Dark Arts assignment Professor Wayland had set for them.

Hours later, with her assignment completed, Hermione thought it might be prudent to get visit the Great Hall for something to eat. When she was seated for her meal, alone at one end of the table, Hermione realized that she hadn't seen Draco around all day.

With a soft sigh, she ate her meal and quickly hurried up to her dormitory again, avoiding confrontation with anyone. She changed her clothes into a deep blue blouse and a pleated, black skirt. After fastening her shoes, she looked into the mirror and decided she would pin her hair up into a bun. A few curls spilled down around her face, and she topped things off with a bit of her favorite perfume. She didn't tend to spend much time on herself – This was the most effort she'd put into her look in ages. When she glanced at the clock on the wall, it was seven thirty – Just enough time to get to the Room of Requirement.

As she made her way there, she wondered what he would possibly have planned. She noticed him standing just outside where the doorway should be and she smiled.

"You're early," he noted, looking at the watch on his wrist. She shrugged, approaching him and taking his hand. "I had a feeling you would be, so I had things set up for hours." He grinned and used his free hand to push his blonde hair out of his face.

Both of them turned to face the door, and as Draco looked up at it, a very old, heavy, wooden door appeared in front of them. Hermione had never seen this door before – She'd never been in this room.

Hermione watched Draco carefully as he reached forward, pushing the door open. Then he turned to her, gave her a small, timid smile – Another thing Hermione hadn't seen before – and lead her into the Room.


End file.
